Various Artists - Freight Trains Ride Again, Vol. 2

(Wango CD-118) 2000

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This 'Various Artists' compilation has four Stanley Brothers tracks from the 1963/1964 Ray Davis sessions. Three have appeared on other reissues/compilations. i.e. Wild And Reckless Hobo was originally released on the John's Country Quartet LP and reissued as Stanley Brothers Of Virginia, Vol. 2: Long Journey Home; Train 45 is a very short 32 second version, presumably cut as an opening or closing theme for one of the 25 or so radio shows they made for Ray Davis in Dec. 1963. This version was previously released on the Freight Train Special, Vol. 2 compilation, but without the addition of a train whistle at the start; and Life's Railway To Heaven was originally released on 7" EP (Wango 1784) & also appears on Freight Train Special, Vol. 2.

That leaves Ridin' That Midnight Train which is from the Dec. 1963 Radio sessions that the Stanley's cut for Ray Davis, and which seems to be unique to this CD.

The rest of the other artists material, similiarly largely duplicates other Wango releases... eg. 15 of the cuts are also found on Freight Train Special, Vol. 2!

Thanks to Chris Wing for letting me hear this one...

For a detailed breakdown and background to the Stanley's session, check Gary B. Reid's The Music Of The Stanley Brothers book, pages 173-174, 180-183, 204-209, and 211-212.

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